There's no denying that actor Ranveer Singh is a phenomenon and the youngest bonafide superstar of the Hindi film industry.
The first young star to register a 300-crore blockbuster 'Padmaavat' to his credit, he represents originality and focus, cementing his status as a supremely successful, self-made role model who in spite of being an outsider has etched his name in annals of Indian cinema.
On December 10, Ranveer marks a decade in movies as his runaway smash-hit debut 'Band Baaja Baarat' celebrates its 10th anniversary.
Looking back at Ranveer's 10 years, it can be unanimously agreed that his sheer talent and brand of versatility has contributed to shaping his current star status and massive fan following that the actor enjoys.
A performer par excellence, Ranveer has showcased his brilliance as an actor in the last 10 years by essaying various diverse roles in different genres.
From the lovable Bittoo Sharma in Band Baaja Baarat to Murad, the vulnerable yet powerful voice of the streets of India in Gully Boy, Ranveer has set himself apart from everyone else with his unmatchable performances.
On the 10th year of his journey to superstardom, the ultimate showman of showbusiness, Ranveer, opened up about his most memorable milestones, the rejections he faced for years before his explosive debut and the legacy that he wants to leave behind.
In an exclusive interview with Hindustan Times, on being asked which moments from these 10 years would you consider the biggest career milestone and why, Ranveer said, "Well, the biggest milestone of them all actually is when I got selected for my first film, a moment that is simply unforgettable. I get goosebumps when I think about it even now. For somebody from my kind of background to get such a big break was beyond my wildest imagination. The stuff dreams are made of, really. After that one incredible twist of fate, it's been a journey of learning, growing and evolving as a creative person, a performer and a public figure. With every passing year and with every film I have learnt something more about the craft, more about myself and tried to keep bettering myself and improving my set of skills."
"With every film and through every character, I hope to explore my own being a little bit more. Hopefully somewhere along the way in the course of becoming other people ill be able to understand myself better. Every experience and every film has left me enriched a little bit more so I’m extremely grateful for each and every opportunity," Ranveer said.
Talking about his struggle period and the rejections he faced early on, Ranveer told the publication, "My period of struggle was not easy at all. There was a recession going on at that time, the movie business was not very prolific, people were making fewer films. Therefore, opportunities for actors were far less than for actors today. We didn’t have these web platforms, we didn’t have OTT platforms etc. So good opportunities were hard to come by. For 3-3.5 years, I was just groping in the dark, attempting various avenues, trying to get a break, trying to get a foot in the door, doing the rounds of various offices with my portfolio looking for work and not knowing whether it will ever happen at all. It was very farfetched for someone in my position to think that I'd get a premier opportunity as a performer to act as a lead in Hindi films. It was a million to one shot but I took it."
He further added, "With the love, blessings, sacrifices and support of my amazing parents, I mustered up the fortitude to keep going. I was hungry and sometimes foolish but also very persistent. I was 21 when I started trying and at 24 it happened for me in spectacular fashion. Those tales are memoir-worthy for sure. I almost debuted in a side role in Patiala House. I almost did some small budget films that Anurag was directly/indirectly affiliated with. Anurag Sir and Nikhil Sir are probably as astounded as I am about how things started and how they are going!"
Speaking about the legacy he would want his legacy to be in the history of Indian cinema, Ranveer told Hindustan Times, "Yes, every day I am working towards leaving behind a legacy, a filmography that I can be proud of. I want to make a significant contribution to the arts and inspire other artists, the same way my senior artists have inspired me. We all wish to be remembered in history. I think it's natural for us societal humans. I want to be remembered as a thorough entertainer, as a versatile actor, someone whose body of work constitutes some of the best cinema in our country. These are tall ambitions but I am putting in the work every single day to hopefully have a fulfilling run at the movies and make my country proud through my work in the field of my choice, that’s Hindi cinema. If I distil my ambitions further, I would say that I just want to entertain people, that's all. I would like to alleviate the agony of existence by offering people some cathartic relief. My calling is to be an entertainer and I believe that God is guiding me as I fulfil my destiny and answer my calling."
